Pregnancy places increased demands on your body, and it’s common to experience aches and pains as your posture, biomechanics and hormones change.
We assess and treat a wide range of pregnancy-related musculoskeletal conditions, including pelvic girdle pain, round ligament pain, lower back pain, mid back and rib pain, hip pain, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Pelvic girdle pain, often presenting as pain in the pubic synthesis and or the sacroiliac joints affects approximately 20% of pregnant women. This can be caused by hormonal laxity altered by biomechanics and increased load. It can present as pain in the groin, the inner thigh or in the buttock and is often aggravated by walking, turning in bed and climbing stairs.
Pelvic girdle pain can be managed and treated through stabilisation exercises, pelvic mobilizations, advice on movement, and the use of a maternity belt or pelvic support belt.
Round ligament pain occurs with the rapid stretching of the round ligaments which are supporting the uterus typically in the second trimester, this can produce a sharp pain either on one side or on both sides of the lower abdomen which is often triggered by sudden movement, coughing or rolling. This can be managed through movement modification and mobilisation and through the use of a maternity support belt.
Lower back pain is the most common musculoskeletal complaint and is often caused by an increase in the lumbar lordosis, an increased anterior pelvic tilt, core muscle weakness and ligamentous laxity.
Lower back pain in pregnancy can be treated and managed by strengthening the core, postural correction and positioning advice, gentle mobilisations and the use of a support belt.
Mid back pain and rib pain can also occur as a result of postural changes and rib flare. This can be treated and managed by thoracic and rib mobilisations, breathing exercises, postural re-education and strengthening.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can develop when fluid retention causes pressure on the median nerve in the wrist. This causes tingling, typically at night, in the thumb, index and middle fingers. This can be managed through neural mobilisations and advice on activity modification.
Your initial assessment includes a discussion about your symptoms, followed by an assessment of your posture, movement and any areas of discomfort. We’ll then create a personalised treatment plan to help you manage your symptoms and support you throughout your pregnancy.
When you come in for your assessment, we'll begin by asking about your symptoms, what makes them better or worse, your pregnancy history, general medical details and how the condition is affecting you.
We will then observe your posture and movement and walking pattern to identify any changes in alignment or muscle function that could be contributing to your symptoms.
Some functional movements are also observed such as standing and stepping and squatting where it is appropriate we will then assess the appropriate joint/area of the body depending on your history and symptoms.
We'll also consider the whole picture of how your symptoms are affecting your sleep, your mood and your day-to-day well-being. We will then develop a personalised treatment plan for you with clear goals to help you move more comfortably through your pregnancy and prepare your body for birth and your postpartum recovery.
For most women yes, the symptoms resolve post birth or within weeks postpartum. Seeing a pelvic health physiotherapist can significantly speed up recovery.
Fluid retention (oedema) compresses the median nerve in the wrist, It occurs most commonly in the third trimester and affects up to 35% the pregnant women.
It is often managed through a combination of wrist splints, worn especially at night, avoiding repetitive wrist movements and elevating the hands when resting. It often resolves after delivery.
